Enchanted Away
by The Auburn Girl
Summary: Belle finds herself enchanted away to the Enchanted Forest, where she must save her parents and strike a deal with the notorious owner of the Dark Castle: Rumplestiltskin. Idea/inspiration taken from "Spirited Away" by Hayao Miyazaki. For DruidKitty.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a play on "Spirited Away" by Hayao Miyazaki.**

Belle's heartbeat fluttered like the wings of a hummingbird, banging hard against her ribcage. _Mama...Papa..._

It had happened so fast. One second they were feasting in the tavern and the next a purple smoke was swallowing them from head to toe. When the last tendrils of smoke had faded, they had transformed into two massive, squealing pigs, waddling around on the wooden floorboards and consuming any food in their path.

Her first reaction had been to panic and escape clumsily through the town, tripping over cobblestones and knocking over barrels and other supplies. She'd nearly screamed when she realized she was no longer alone. The once silent, untouched medieval town was now rampant with energy. People dressed in peasant's clothing walked to and fro, staring hesitantly when she'd tugged on their frocks and begged for help.

Yet the most frightening aspect of her macabre situation had been the demonic creatures that'd purposefully entered the town. Witches had zoomed out of the sky, cackling madly on their gnarled broomsticks. Ghosts had hovered desolately, whispering of loved ones passed. Vampires had hissed they smelled the blood of a human. Banshees had wailed mightily...

She would have fainted if it had not been for the steady hand that caught her elbow and towed her into a quiet garden. The hand had belonged to a young girl with blonde curls and serious eyes. She'd stuffed a piece of bacon into Belle's unwilling mouth and guided her to an enormous castle, bypassing all the creatures on the way.

Belle remembered the journey and the girl's instructions clearly.

...

"_What about my mama and papa? Where are they? They're not pigs, right?" _

"_It's not possible right now, but eventually, you'll see them. I gave you the bacon because you'd have disappeared if you'd not eaten. We have to run—get you to the castle."_

_They sprinted through the surrounding forest and headed for a mountainous castle situated in the valley. The valley was full of tall, intimidating trees and thick, thorny underbrush, which slowed their progress. Witches flew overhead while howls echoed through the night air. _

"_Where _are _we exactly?" Belle asked, her eyes following a witch. _

_The girl looked at her with steady blue eyes. "We're in the Enchanted Forest. It's a world unlike yours. You've been enchanted away to our realm because you did not leave this area before dusk." _

"_Enchanted away?"_

"_Yes. Now when we reach the bridge, you MUST hold your breath all the way until the other side or the other creatures will see you. And the last thing we need is a vampire on your tail." _

_When they arrived just outside the castle, Belle was astonished by its sheer size and ghoulish appearance. If she were to give it a name, she would call it the Dark Castle, for everything about the castle was dark and foreboding. The hue of death surrounded it, a smell of blood clung to its stony walls, and screams of terror permeated its atmosphere. She was almost too terrified to enter. Almost. _

_Belle did as she was told and held her breath across the bridge. They made it to the other side, passing vampires in thick, black capes and evil faeries sporting wicked grins. She was so relieved when they snuck into a thicket and closed a tiny gate behind them. The girl smiled._

"_You did well, Belle." Belle was about to ask her how she knew her name— "Now listen carefully. Go through that gate," the girl continued, pointing at the other edge of the thicket. "Travel the pathway until you come to a hidden door. Open it. Inside, there is a kitchen, and you MUST find Old Granny Lucas. She will help you get to Rumplestiltskin."_

"_Rumplestiltskin?" The name was very familiar; she'd read the tale of Rumplestiltskin many times over the years, but this couldn't be the same man who could spin straw into gold, could it? _

"_Yes. Find Rumplestiltskin and ask him for work. Listen closely, Belle. You cannot say you 'want to go back' or 'leave'. You must demand a deal, and the end result must be that you work. He can't touch you if you work here." The girl's eyes were fierce in the moonlight. "He's a dark sorcerer, the most powerful one there is, and this is his castle. If you work here, you're safe, and we can figure out a way to save your parents." _

_Belle nodded, suddenly scared out of her wits. She'd just finished her second year of college and nothing in the curriculum had prepared her for THIS. "Find Granny Lucas...then get to Rumplestiltskin..." she repeated carefully. "But—who _are _you? How do you know my name? Why are you helping me?" _

_The girl smiled sadly, a frown crinkling her features. "My name is Mal and I've known you since you were little. Just remember...I am on your side. We will see each other again. Goodbye, Belle..." _

_Before Belle could call out to her, Mal ran into the shadows and disappeared, leaving her alone to swallow her fear. In torn jeans and ruined t-shirt, she crawled to the other end of the thicket and gingerly opened the gate. From this angle no one would be able to spy her from the bridge, so it was safe to leave. _

_She started walking along the castle's edge, going slow and cautious but broke out into a run when she knew she was out of range. Pebbles littered the trodden ground. Leaves blew across the lane and it was then Belle realized that she was cold and shivering. _

_The door Mal told her to find was hard to locate amidst a sea of vines and foliage but she had a good eye and spotted the rickety door built solidly into the stone wall. She creaked open the door quietly, poking her head in to spot light and hear a ring of voices. Carefully, she snuck in and clicked the door shut behind her._

"_Granny, we need more blood on the third floor!" a young voice shouted. "The vampires are hungry tonight!" _

_There was a loud huff and then the sound of bustling. "Red, you think I don't recognize a starving vampire coven when I see one? I've already sent up gallons more of type AB positive, though I fear we might run out by the end of the night. You, girl, get the rest of you into the kitchen and out of storage!" The yell caused Belle to jump and bump into a cold jar of something unidentifiable. It tumbled to the stone floors, crackling loudly in the following silence. "Who is over there?"_

_The door to her hiding place swung open and an old woman's with snow white hair and sharp blue eyes appeared in the doorway. The woman gasped, skittering back from the door to clutch at a table. "Please," Belle started, worried and horrified. She needed to tell them Mal's orders before they turned her in. "Please, I need to find work. I need to get to Rumplestiltskin! Mal sent me."_

"_Granny?" A young woman walked up and opened the door fully. _

_The first thing Belle noticed about the girl was that she was gorgeous. She had long, dark hair and slim features with eyes the color of emeralds. "A human? You're the one everyone's been talking about! Everyone's looking for you." _

_Belle felt her heart sink. "Please, give me work. I need to see Rumplestiltskin," she murmured, feeling tears fall down her cheeks. How her world had changed in so little time!_

"_Red," the old woman—Granny—spluttered, "take her to him. She's right. She needs to work or she'll be killed, and Mal sent her. We owe Mal." She ambled forward and eased Belle out from the pantry, tucking errant strands of hair behind her ear. "Hush, girl. What's your name?" Her aged hands tenderly wiped away stray tears from Belle's face. _

"_Be—Belle." She wanted to sob, to cling to this endearing old woman and lose herself to her woes and miseries, but she had to see Rumplestiltskin and strike a deal with him. It would all be for naught if she didn't get a job and buy herself time. _

"_All right, I'll take her, Granny," Red declared, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was eavesdropping. Her eyes flashed to Granny, then to Belle. "We'll have to be very careful, though. Who knows what monsters he's sent out to find her?" She stalked over to a bin and pulled out a lump of garlic and a canister with the words 'Holy Water' on its side. "The vampires will be the biggest problem, but I'm sure I can handle them." _

_Granny towed Belle further into the kitchen, running her hands soothingly up and down her arms. "Spray her with holy water. That should keep those bloodsuckers away," she muttered, withdrawing a hand to cover Belle's eyes. _

_Water splashed Belle's face, causing her to flinch. "She's ready and we better be quick. I think Martha saw her." Red's hand snatched out and caught around Belle's wrist. "Be very quiet and stick very close to my tail, okay?" _

"_Okay..." She could do this. She was sure they would make it to Rumplestiltskin because Red appeared ready to face anyone who got in their way. And when she found Rumplestiltskin—whoever this _dark _sorcerer was—she would demand a job. No matter what it took, she would get her parents back._

...

The chilly, encompassing air of the castle squeezed Belle's lungs and caused her breaths to grow ragged. The jeans and t-shirt she wore offered no protection to the strange elements within the walls, though Red seemed to have no trouble. She strutted proudly up winding staircases and through dimly light corridorswithout a fear in the world, and it took Belle a moment to realize that it was all show. Red was _acting_, showing off a confidence she did not feel.

"We're about to enter the main staircase and hit the second level, then we'll go for the servant's stairwell and all the way to the sixth floor. Our Master's office and quarters are there. This could get dangerous, but promise me you won't panic... If all else fails, get to the sixth floor."

Feeling insignificant and weak, Belle nodded, clasping her hands together to keep them from shaking. "Yes, I'll try my best. Thank you...by the way." Her voice wavered, growing hasty in time with her frantic heartbeat.

Red eyed her, raising a thin eyebrow. "And try to slow down that thundering beat. I can hear and smell your fear, and if I can, so can everyone else. Relax, Belle."

She could _hear _her heartbeat? How was that even possible?

For the second time tonight, she felt like she was going to faint. Everything was surreal, like a fairytale book gone wrong. Maybe she was dreaming? She _had _to be dreaming! They'd been on their way to Storybrooke, Maine when her parents decided to take an alternate route and lead them here...

"That's better," Red said softly after a few minutes passed. Her warm hand touched Belle's cheek, offering a small seed of comfort. "Don't worry. I'll do everything in my power to help you." Her other hand strayed to the door and its knob in front of her. She pushed it open until a line of light spilt across her features. Sounds of gleeful laughter, desperate howling, and unhappy hissing reached their ears. Belle gulped, nodding delicately. "Stay close." Without another word, Red casually freed the door wide enough for both of them to sneak through.

A low gasp escaped Belle's lips. They were standing in a fantastically refurbished hall which boasted thick, expensive carpets, ancient furniture, and mysterious paintings. She had been unaware of the wealth this freakish castle flaunted until now. _Everything _was touched by gold and laden in shimmering shine, though the daunting stone walls offered a calm buffer to the grandeur of it all.

She had stepped back in time to the Medieval Ages.

"Belle," Red hissed, nudging her out of her stupor, "Let's go!"

The dazzling environment had blinded Belle to the fact that vampires, witches, demons, banshees, werewolves, and faeries roomed the entire length of the hall. Some threatened each other while others welcomed friends with open arms. It made her wonder why they were all here.

Red set off at a quick, though normal, pace. She had am arm looped through Belle's, guiding her to the staircase and easily up the velvet covered steps. A few creatures turned to watch their progress, sniffing deeply. "I smell a human from the other world," one claimed.

"I smell it too!" another cried.

Both creatures crouched low, sniffing unabashedly at the floor. Their fingers danced crazily in the air, as if they were delighted and smelt a midnight snack. Bile rose up in Belle's throat when she watched one female vampire clutch at her mate with shivers of hunger.

It was a relief when they reached the top of the grand staircase and moved swiftly left, around a corner, and to a new set of stairs. These were empty and Red let out a labored sigh. "That was close, but we have to keep moving. It's dangerous to dawdle."

They climbed the next staircase, avoiding thick spider webs and enchanted suits of armor by ducking into untouched alcoves. When the coast was clear, they continued on and arrived at the second floor landing. "Almost there," Red whispered, hope lightening her features. She smiled at Belle, nodding encouragingly. "Once we're in the servant's stairwell, we won't have any troub—" But she didn't finish her sentence because a man with hair dark as night and skin pale as death swooped down from the ceiling and settled right in front of them.

"Who is this beauty?" His voice was deep, rich like chocolate.

"Lord Gaston!" Red sounded very unhappy. "Please forgive us," she said, as if his interruption had been _their _fault, "We'll move right out of your way." She grabbed fistfuls of Belle's t-shirt and made to maneuver them around the handsome vampire but was stopped by his firm hand.

"Is this a new maid?" he questioned, gesturing to Belle. "What strange clothes she wears." He sighed and then breathed in through his nose—choking off with a gasp. His red eyes widened. "The human!"

"Run!" Red shouted, shoving Belle hard down the corridor. "It's the door on the left at the end of the hall!" She sprang at Lord Gaston, morphing into a wolf midair, and tackled him down the stairs. The sight was so shocking that Belle momentarily forgot herself, but the sound of creatures stirring below at the ruckus sent her sprinting down the hall.

It was scarcely lit and she had trouble locating the door. "Come on, come on!" she said desperately, tripping on the carpet and skidding hard. Her hands came up roughed and burned from the fabric. Blood trickled from an abrasion on her left palm.

That's when the shrieks for blood began.

Vampires hissed up the staircase, shouting when they encountered Red. She could hear the wolf snarling and threatening those ascending to the second floor.

Belle had only a matter of seconds before they overwhelmed Red and set off like a pack of hounds after her. Where was the damn staircase?!

Heart pounding, breath torn and uneven, she eyed the stone wall at the end of the hallway. Nothing was there...but the vampires were coming. She pressed her shoulder to the wall—and was completely taken aback when a panel slid open revealing a wooden stairwell. Without thinking, she threw herself inside and kicked the panel closed just in time to see Red thrown off kilter.

Belle gasped, sucking in massive gulps of air. Her lungs were on fire, her blood was singing in her veins. She was about to give in and allow a rush of darkness to consume her vision when she thought of her parents toddling around as pigs.

The image brought her back to her senses and gave her the strength and motivation she needed to push forward. She _had _to get to Rumplestiltskin for their sakes and for hers.

Each stair drained an ounce of her energy, but she managed to take them one at a time, and slowly but surely, she met floor landing after floor landing until there were no more. The last door led to the sixth floor, she knew. So she hesitated, contemplating what she had to say and the deal she wanted to create.

_Demand work, don't hold back or take no. Form a contract—a deal stipulating my safety and my parent's safety for my service. Don't let him fool you._

Not sure what to expect, Belle slowly opened the service door and gazed out into the surrounding area. The floor was full of corridors, each hall furbished with a burgundy carpet down its center. Weird items occupied tables strewn close to the walls.

There was not a person in sight.

She stepped out of the stairwell and slid the panel back into place, careful to keep as quiet as possible. She started towards the end of the hall leading to a half-open set of metal doors. Light shown out from the crack in between the two.

"Well, well, well," a light, dangerous voice twittered close behind her. "What have we here?"

Belle held back a bloodcurdling scream as she whirled to face the newcomer. She nearly fell flat on her face but steadied herself by clinging to a tabletop.

Her eyes flashed to the creature before her.

She didn't know what to expect but she certainly hadn't expected the eccentric, oddly-clad man before her. His skin looked green with a shade of gold brushed on and she would have mistaken them for scales if not for the nearby candlelight lighting his features. His eyes were huge and dark with a glow she could not place. Curly, ashen hair fell to his shoulders, but what really confused her were the clothes and boots he was wearing. A long, crocodile leather jacket hung tight to his frame. He wore skin-tight leather pants and boots that reached all the way from his ankles to his knees. The shoes looked like murder to wear.

"Who—who are you?" Belle asked, hating how her voice shook. The man was so strange...so unnatural.

A mean, Cheshire grin spread across the man's lips. He flourished his hands and gave a dramatic bow, "I am Rumplestiltskin," he announced, rolling over his name with theatrical skill. "Now..._what is your name_?" The act combined with the freakish features frightened Belle even more.

"My name is Belle, and I've come to strike a deal with you, Rumplestiltskin."

"Ah, ah!" he cried, ticking his index finger in the air. "Not so fast, dearie. I know who you are." His eyes roved down her figure and he smiled wolfishly. "You're the girl whose parents ate in the village and turned into pigs. It seems you weren't foolish enough to follow their example." He said the words in a mockingly bright manner.

Tears threatened to form in Belle's eyes, but she answered back coolly, "Yes...it appears so."

He studied her for a moment longer before raising his right hand near his face. "Let's go to my _study_," he said, and he snapped his fingers. Smoke engulfed the two of them, rising up from their feet. Belle let loose a wild shriek, thinking of pigs and squealing and suffocation.

When the smoke vanished and they were in a study cluttered with books, spindles of gold, and tables with curious possessions, her voice died away. She peered down at her body and saw that nothing had shifted or changed. Relief flooded her system. She was okay.

Rumplestiltskin surveyed her with a frown. "Quite the banshee you sound, dearie. You're sure you're not one of them?" he quipped, giggling madly when she stared at him in confusion.

Disliking his teasing, she said icily and to the point, "I'm here for a job. I want to work."

The giggles instantly died. "What?" he spat. "Who told you to say that?"

She ignored his question, knowing that Mal, Red, and Granny could very well get into trouble if she wasn't careful. "I told you I want to strike a deal, Rumplestiltskin. I heard you love those." She was stretching the truth by saying that but she remembered reading in his tale that he couldn't resist a game—a _deal_. Maybe _this _Rumplestiltskin was the same way.

"A deal, eh?" He tented his fingers beneath his lips and began to slowly circle her. "And what," he hissed, coming to prance and break into her personal space, "exactly do you want, dearie?"

Belle cleared her throat and tried not to take a step back in alarm. "I want you to guarantee my parent's and my own safety, and in return, I will be at your service and work for you."

Rumplestiltskin made a sound not unlike that of a delighted child. "And what skills do you possess that I do not already have at my beck and call? What can I do with a weakling like you? This place isn't for a human from another realm, dearie."

"I'm a hard worker," Belle claimed, knowing it wasn't good enough. "Please give me work?"

A flash of annoyance gleamed in his eyes. "That's not enough to tempt _me_, girl. I should hand you over to the vampires and watch as they suck you dry."

"I want to work here!" The words came out more forceful and determined then she felt. She actually stamped her foot. "Please give me a job!"

"No," he snarled, inches from her face. "Dearie, you—"

"Papa?"

Rumplestiltskin twisted to see who had entered his private study and Belle couldn't help but peek over his shoulder. Standing in the doorway was a little boy who looked barely older than five. His brunette hair was a shaggy mess and stuck up in all directions. Little fists rubbed his eyes. "Bae..." The way Rumplestiltskin cooed the child's name was astonishing because it belied the earlier menace in his tone. He abandoned Belle to walk swiftly forward and crouch before the boy.

"Too loud," the boy yawned. "You're too loud, Papa."

Belle glanced from Rumplestiltskin back to the boy. Was this his son? Why didn't he have the same skin and scales? "I'm sorry, Bae," Rumplestiltskin murmured, smoothing the child's hair with the palm of his hand. "We'll try to be quieter... Now off to bed, my little one." He gently pushed the child out of the room.

He rose easily from his haunches and spun to glare at Belle. "You're not going to stop, are you, dearie?" he asked softly, though it was clear he still harbored disdain.

"No, I'm not," she agreed, feeling hope flutter within. "Accept my deal and this will all end."

Rumplestiltskin returned to circling her, this time with an evil smile. "Give me your full name and I will accept your terms—strike the deal with you."

"My—my name?" Had she misheard him?

"Yes," he barked in an undertone, "Your full name. And..." He waved his hands smoothly through the air, "if you lie to me I'll know it. I know names well. _Now tell me_."

Was it really this easy? Why did he need her _name_? "Why?" she asked cautiously.

"Because names have power, dearie, and I intend to have power over you." He said it simply, as if he did this every day. Perhaps he did.

"Isabelle Genevieve French..."

Rumplestiltskin halted his prowling and suddenly gripped her jaw harshly so she was looking into his eyes. He searched hers and apparently found what he was looking for because he released her. "Very well," he hissed. "You will work part-time as my caretaker and part-time down on the lower levels. Your parents will remain pigs, though they will not be slaughtered. Your safety will be ensured." He flicked his wrist majestically and a scroll and quill appeared out of thin air in his hand. "Read over and sign."

Belle read over the scroll with a meticulous eye, looking for any tricks, and found none. He'd kept his word, so she signed and sealed her fate. A sense of foreboding filled her when it glowed.

"The deal is struck," Rumplestiltskin declared, rolling up the scroll. A mischevious smile tugged at his lips. "Now we must seal it."

"Seal it? I thought I already did with my signature." She pointed at the scroll in his hands. She quirked an eyebrow at him, wondering what in the hell he was playing at.

"With a kiss."

Before she had time to shove him away in disgust, his left hand tangled in her hair, gripping hard, and he pressed his lips to her in a demanding kiss. She gasped at his audacity and squeaked as his tongue snuck in and plundered her mouth. It was over in seconds, but it left her panting and hot with anger. "How dare you!" she snapped.

Rumplestiltskin merely smirked and gestured her away. "You start tomorrow at noon, so you best be along now, dearie, and be quiet. I will not have my son woken up again."

With a cry torn between a sob and a scream, Belle barged out of his study and down the hallway, acutely aware of Rumplestiltskin maniacal giggles echoing behind her. They didn't fade until she shut the panel to the servant's stairwell and covered her ears. Tears streaked down her cheeks.

She'd sold herself to the devil.

**This is for DruidKitty who asked for it a while ago :) I had a rough time last night and she helped me get through it. So cheers to her for being a wonderful friend! 3 **

**Thanks to "Midstorm" on Tumblr for making the beautiful cover for me :D All credit goes to her!**

**Note: I probably won't update this as regularly as I'd like to because I need to get back to my Titanic AU and other things. But besides that, what'd y'all think?**


	2. Chapter 2

Belle slowly descended the wooden stairs of the servant's stairwell, absently wiping her tears away as she went. It would not do to walk from the second floor's hallway to the first floor in such a state. She'd be painting herself as a target for the magical creatures milling about if they saw her current weakness.

In truth, she had no idea where she was going or what she was going to do. All of the day's events had caused her mind to go blank and she was currently relying on an inner flame of strength to put one foot in front of the other and continue on down the creaking stairs. Her body was screaming in protest but she forced on until she finally reached the panel to the second floor.

The sight of the panel _did _bring back her thoughts. What would she do once she was beyond its protection? There were monsters roaming beyond it, waiting to get a taste of her blood...but Rumplestiltskin _had_ said he would ensure her safety. Perhaps that meant none of the creatures could touch her?

Their deal hadn't stopped _Rumplestiltskin_ from touching her though—the bastard. Unconsciously, Belle wiped her mouth on her sleeve and spat into a corner. No matter what she did, she couldn't seem to dispel his taste from her mouth, and what made her irritated was the fact that he hadn't tasted bad. On the contrary, he'd tasted pleasantly of straw and a mysterious tang she suspected was magic. And his skilled tongue... He'd slipped it mischievously between her lips, and she hadn't expected it to tangle with hers or caress the roof of her mouth.

Belle spat again for good measure.

Just as she decided to pry open the panel, it slid back of its own accord with a quiet groan. She flinched, thinking of vampires, and scrambled to hide in a shadowed corner. "Belle?" someone asked the moment the panel was open.

"Red?" Belle wondered quietly, peaking around the corner to stare into the corridor. Her eyes landed on the beautiful girl and before she could stop herself, she fisted a hand in the girl's sleeve and pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank God, are you okay? How did you know I was here?"

Red chuckled. She looked different from before with her dark hair tousled and her green eyes hinting on a yellowish hue. "Rumplestiltskin sent a message to the kitchens and said you were on your way back down, so I came to fetch you. Don't worry. He forbade any of our guests from harming you..." Red gave her a fleeting smile. "I'm guessing he gave you a job then?"

Nodding, Belle released a deep, shuddering breath. "Yeah... We made a deal. Thank you so much for your help earlier. I—I wouldn't have made it if not for you..." The image of Red flying through the air, body ripping apart to transform into a growling wolf, rose to the forefront of her mind. "So...are you a...werewolf?"

"Born and raised. You don't find that weird, do you?"

They started walking down the corridor, careful to make as little noise as possible and keep side-by-side. "Honestly?" Belle murmured, frowning. "I don't think anything more can surprise me today. Besides...I've read a lot of stories with werewolves in them, and I think at one point during my childhood I wished I was one." Her childhood seemed like a distant dream compared to the horror she was presently experiencing. She'd never imagined her parents turning into pigs or being in the situation she was now. "What happened once I was in the stairwell?"

"Well once the smell of your blood was blocked by the wall, the vampires calmed down a bit," Red explained, leading the way. They approached the stone staircase she had tackled Lord Gaston down. "Lord Gaston was furious when you escaped and unleashed his vampire coven on me." She laughed softly. "Luckily my brethren jumped in. I was able to escape in the madness. Things died down pretty quickly when the Mad Hatter demanded everyone's obedience. He's Rumplestiltskin's right-hand man along with Maleficent."

"Maleficent?" Like the 'Sleeping Beauty' version or could that be Mal?

"Yes. She's probably the most reasonable of the three, if you ask me," Red said, waving a hand. "Granny saved some food for you back in the kitchen; she thought you'd be hungry?"

Belle swallowed hard. In all this chaos it was nice to know people were looking out for her and she felt tears well up in her eyes. But no—she couldn't cry anymore. She had to get a grip on herself and reality, because the reality of the situation was that she needed to be strong. "Yes, I am... Thank you. I...I won't turn into a pig?"

When Mal had forced the bacon into her mouth and made her swallow, she hadn't been thinking properly. Now she was worried about turning into a pig just like her parents. If that happened, then they'd all be doomed.

Smiling sadly, Red squeezed her shoulder and said, "No. You won't turn into a pig, Belle. You're under Rumplestiltskin's protection now." Her tone was gentle as if she sensed talking louder would cause her friend to panic. "What job has he given you?"

"I'm to work part-time on the sixth floor and part-time on the lower levels. I start at noon tomorrow."

They arrived at the bottom of the stairs and turned the corner to see the grand staircase. Unlike before, most of the creatures had moved on into the dark recesses of the castle. A few witches still zoomed by, cackling ridiculously on their broomsticks, but the pale-skinned vampires were gone. "That sounds about right. Here everything is run later and deep into the night, so that's when all the work happens."

Again Belle was taken with the grandeur of the place. The ruby red carpets were fine, _spotless_ even though they'd been trodden on numerous times that night. Gold glimmered in the fantastic candlelight while ancient furniture stood proud in their corners. Everything was refined.

"Belle, let's not dawdle," Red called, tugging on her sleeve when she'd stopped to stare at the entrance. "It's best to stay out of the way, especially for a human like you. Even Rumplestiltskin doesn't allow his son to stray too far. Accidents _do _happen."

Belle ran her hands over her chilled arms. She tried not to worry. "I saw him—his son I mean. _Is _that his son? I think Rumplestiltskin called him 'Bae'." She was so confused... How could Rumplestiltskin look so reptilian and his biological son not? Was Bae adopted?

After Red cracked open the door they'd gone through earlier, she turned to study Belle. "Baelfire is his real son. Rumplestiltskin's wife died while fleeing the castle four years ago." She stepped aside to let her enter first.

"Why did she flee?" Belle asked, voice barely above a whisper. "How did she die?" More than anything, she wanted to escape this castle—this land—and go home with her parents. She wanted to forget any of this had ever happened. But what if it wasn't possible or safe to leave? What if she was stuck? Horror consumed her at the thought.

"Our Mistress had an affair with a pirate and one night decided to run away with him. Well...the creatures of the night got to them during their escape. By the time Rumplestiltskin found her, her and her lover were dead—sucked dry by errant vampires scouring the forest for prey." Red closed the door behind them, cutting off the strong light so they were in the gloom. "Don't run off, Belle. Whatever you do, don't run off without a powerful escort."

The rest of their journey toward the kitchens remained in silence. Belle was lost in her thoughts while Red marched on, scowling at anyone who stared.

She was chained to Rumplestiltskin and a part of her wished Mal hadn't said to get a job and work for him. For the love of God, how could she handle him when he behaved like a child? The other part of her was eternally grateful, for if Mal had left her alone, there was no doubt in her mind she would have floundered or worse: died.

Rumplestiltskin was her key to salvation and her road to hell. He would keep her out of harm's way as long as she kept her end of the deal. It didn't help that she disliked him and his fidgety, abrupt manners. He was flamboyant and cruel, but he'd also been gentle with his son so maybe he wasn't as bad as he seemed.

And her parents... She had to save them. She _would _save them if it was the last thing she did.

She had resigned herself to hope for the best: there had to be ways of leaving this world if there were ways of getting into it.

When they arrived in the warm kitchens, Granny Lucas was waiting for them with a covered bowl of stew and some bread. "No trouble?" she questioned, voice cold as she pressed the bowl into Belle's shaking fingertips.

"No, Granny. No more trouble," Red assured, taking a seat at an empty table and sighing gratefully. "The vampires had either left or moved on, praise the gods, and Rumplestiltskin gave Belle a job. She starts work at noon tomorrow up on the sixth floor."

Granny wacked a spoon down on the table, blue eyes bright with defiance. "Well good on you, girl," she announced lowly, looking straight at Belle and her meager attempt to eat. "Not many souls would have braved his company and formed a deal. _Eat_. You look as pale as a ghost." She bustled away then, leaving her to sit with Red and enjoy the well-cooked chicken stew.

It took her some time to finish her meal. Through it all, Red stayed dutifully at her side. The girl had decided to make herself her guardian and would rarely stray too far from the room. "You look like you need some sleep," she said when Belle had finished her last piece of bread. "And we need to get you some new clothes because you smell. No offense."

"None taken."

The vampires had smelled her the second she'd stepped out into the hall. If she was going to work around them, she did not want her smell to be overpowering. New clothes more fitted to the realm would be safer. Less obvious.

They traveled through the kitchen and around young women cooking or walking swiftly to and from floors. The women stared unashamedly as they maneuvered by, passing roaring fires with chickens roasting overtop and cauldrons of stew. Their eyes were transfixed on Belle. As she passed by they immediately began whispering behind their hands.

Belle groaned, wanting to smack her head. It was like high school all over again.

She was thankful when they finally crossed underneath a stone alcove and left the kitchens behind. Yet the light in the next black, stuffy corridor almost made her wish they go back and claim a candle to take with them.

Red had no trouble guiding them in the dark and up a flight of winding, stone stairs. Few candles littered the perches set out to offer light, and the constant contrast of darkness compared to flickering light made Belle's head throb. The chilly breeze whispering through the passageways was even worse. It came in bursts that passed through her dirty jeans and ratty t-shirt, then cut straight to her bones. She couldn't understand how anyone could battle the ruthless wind and come out without hypothermia.

At one point they started passing closed wooden doors. To her unsure eyes, it looked like they were dungeons, but on closer inspection, she realized they were bedrooms. They passed about ten doors on the winding staircase before reaching a leveled corridor lined with doors on each side.

Red walked purposefully forward. She indicated a door near the end of the hall and placed a hand out to grasp the doorknob. "We're here—" she said, swinging it open. Inside the room was small and cluttered with four beds. Candles glowed on each bedside table, yet the primary light came from the clear windows at the end of the room. Moonlight streamed in, casting luminescence over the beds. The room was much warmer than the atmosphere of the corridor. "Your bed is right next to mine," Red added, pointing to a bed in the left corner of the room. "I'll get some clothes for you."

She left, leaving Belle alone to approach her pristine bed. This place was going to be her home for who knew how long...

Before she could so much as touch the covers, Red returned carrying a heap of fabric and dresses. "I guessed your size, but I think this'll do," she said, holding a baby blue dress up to her frame and smiling. "Blue looks good on you, you know. Hey—what's wrong?"

Feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed, Belle quickly wiped away her tears. She had not noticed them until they'd snuck down her cheeks. "I'm sorry," she croaked, wringing her hands. "I think I just need to lie down. Can I bathe and change in the morning?" All she wanted to do was sleep. Maybe this would all be a bad dream and her parents were actually pulling into Storybrooke at that very moment.

"Of course," her friend crooned, rubbing her back. "You lay down. I'll wake you in the morning, okay? Do you want to be alone?"

"Yes, please."

Sincere green eyes gazed into hers. "You sure?"

"Yes. Thanks so much, Red."

Red's soothing hand left her shoulder blades. A sad smile tinged her lips, and she said a gentle 'goodnight' before carefully closing the door behind her, leaving her blissfully alone.

Belle said nothing. She kicked off her shoes and settled beneath the sheets. The bed dipped easily under her weight. It should have been comfortable but the stickiness of her sweat and anguish of her thoughts kept her from peace. What would she do now? What would tomorrow be like if it this was all real? Were her parents being treated well? She prayed they were.

Tomorrow would dawn a new day.

She hoped against hope this would all be a dream.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! What do you guys think her first day will be like? ;)**


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